Openwork is a simple weave that creates uniform "holes" through the woven product, similar to the holes that are often left in some of the complicated basketry weaves. There are several variations on openwork, but the main method involves large bunches of the weft (the width or length of the garment) being twined by two pieces of warp. The resulting weave looks much like thick bunches of weft bound together as in a log raft. This type of openwork was used to make the most utilitarian cedar-bark garments, such as the skirts and tops which were worn by both genders.

Another openwork weaving method leaves large gaps between the weft lines and the warp lines, gaps which could be up to a few centimetres in diameter. This method is used primarily in the creation of baskets or screens, or just about anything that does not require a tightly woven finish.